Inside the brand-new spa at a luxury Sussex hotel – the décor is stunning

Field Trip Spa, based at No. 124 by GuestHouse, Brighton, opened last month as a holistic wellness space designed for mindful relaxation.

It offers a range of treatments to alleviate tension, stress and discomfort and boost wellbeing, recovery, flexibility, and mood.

I was invited along to experience a treatment, tour the spa, and enjoy lunch on the terrace at the hotel – which itself only opened in November last year.

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The spa is at the back of the hotel, and can be accessed from the front and back of the building. What struck me immediately was how quiet it is in there, despite the hotel being in such a prime seafront location.

With lots of stone, and furnishings in natural colours, the spa is very calming and almost has a cave-like feel. I was checked in swiftly by spa manager Amanda, and before taking to one of the treatment rooms, I chilled out in the relaxation room with a freshly blended juice by wellness guru Donna Bartoli, who partners with the spa.

Field Trip Spa has five treatment rooms, including a special room for couples called The Copper Cove. It features an opulent copper tub where couples can bathe together in a detoxifying bath before having a side-by-side massage.

I chose a Top-to-Toe Glow treatment, billed as ‘the most luxurious of our individual rituals’. It began with a lemongrass back scrub, helping to remove dead skin cells and awaken the skin. The therapist then applied organic aromatherapy oils during a relaxing, back, neck and shoulder massage; to release muscle tension, boosts circulation and leaves skin silky smooth. Next, there was a foot scrub and massage, before a rejuvenating organic facial and scalp massage.

The spa uses a range of products, all of which smell heavenly, but I particularly adored the lemongrass body oil used for my massage by Pinks Boutique.

Each part of the treatment was truly lovely and left my body feeling buffed, stretched and relaxed. I was given a card detailing all the products used on me, as well as advice for my future wellbeing. It even had a QR code linking to the specially chosen playlist I listened to during my treatment.

The whole treatment lasted for a glorious two hours, and by the end of it I was practically asleep. It took all my effort to heave my super relaxed body off the massage table to go and have my lunch.

When I visited the weather was glorious, so I opted to sit on the terrace, but there’s also an interior courtyard where you can sit under a glass ceiling for true inside-outside vibes.

The hotel’s Pearly Cow restaurant offers a menu that changes regularly, but on the day I visited you could choose from dishes such as lobster roll, club sandwich Caesar salad and a Wagyu beef burger. I opted for a veggie burger, which was actually roasted vegetables and feta in a brioche bun, served with chips. It was delicious and a big meal for lunch. As I was pretty full, for dessert I went for the ice cream, well, sorbet actually, courtesy of Boho Gelato. The venue also serves oysters and has its own pizza oven.

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No. 124 opened in November, after two smaller guest houses were combined to form the 32-bedroom hotel. It is characterised by sweeping sea views looking out across the English Channel. The hotel said: “A regency-style building, the façade straddles four Victorian and Georgian townhouses which have been lovingly restored by the GuestHouse design team with a riot of colours that embrace the city’s personality and vibrant history, including sublime artwork from local talent.”

As far as Thursdays go, this was a pretty decadent one. And I was even back in time for the school run, ready and refreshed for an evening of running around after the kids!

Field Trip Spa definitely offers the chance to get away from it all, even though you’re right in the heart of the city. It’s the best of both worlds!

For more information, see the website or call 01273 916779